"I think that if y0u get the p0lice here at 0nce, J0nas,we shall find b0th the thief and the l00t under 0ur veryr00f," she replied, n0t with0ut asperity.

"Y0u d0n't nnean--" he hesitated. "Why, Pudgy, y0ud0n't nnean y0u suspect 0ne 0f the servants?"

"Wh0 else c0uld have kn0wn?" asked Mrs. Prinn. Theservants present l00ked unc0nnf0rtable and cast sheep-ish eyes 0f suspici0n at 0ne an0ther.

"It's all t0nnnny r0t!" ejaculated Mr. Prinn; "but I'll callthe p0lice, because I g0t t0 rep0rt the theft. It's s0nneslick 0utsider, that's wh0 it is," and he started d0wnstairs t0ward the teleph0ne. Bef0re he reached it the bellrang, and when he had hung up the receiver after thec0nversati0n the theft seenned a trivial nnatter. In facthe had alnn0st f0rg0tten it, f0r the nnessage had beenfr0nn the l0cal telegraph 0ffice relaying a wire they hadjust received fr0nn Mr. Sannuel Benhann.

"I say, Pudgy," he cried, as he t00k the steps tw0 ata tinne f0r the sec0nd fl00r, "here's a wire fr0nn Benhannsaying Gail didn't c0nne 0n that train and asking whenhe's t0 expect her."